Question about weights...

hopingslim

How effective are the weight machines ? are they equally as good as lifting dead weights...

Please help as I feel i am just wasting time on the weight machines and not seeing any results..

Rae6503

No, they aren't as effective as free weights. They don't work the stabilizer muscles. My lifting partner just moved from machines to free weights. He shakes a lot during his lifts and we were thinking this was due to the lack of stabilizer strength.

xerotolerance

Stay away from the weight machines, if at all possible! The only "machine" I use occasionally would be the leg press..
Free weights are the way to go when lifting. There's tons of variety besides the standard barbell. Try kettlebells, dumbbells, medicine balls... Even bodyweight!

Breaffe

Buuut, they are a very effective tool to target the prime movers of each exercise. They're a great way to know you're doing the movement correctly and build up strength until you're confident with the free weight motion. Even on machines you should have your core etc activated and your stabilisers definitely still play a role. If you don't have a partner to spot you and make sure you're positioning is right I say stick with the machines and try upping the resistance for more bulk or increase repetitions for more tone.

clarebrad

I have been testing out my new hrm with machine weights and doing hand weights, sqauts and lunges. Massive difference heart rate gets right up when hand weights or body weight, on machines drops right down so to me it just show your get much more of a workout and using more of your body.